Rescue
by poohluver31
Summary: when daine gets sad who's going to rescue her and cheer her up? DN! COMPLETE!
1. sadness and confusion

Daine sat on her bed, clearly sulking. Lately she had just been so confused. She wasn't sure anyone got her. Not even Numair or Onua. Even the king and Alanna didn't understand her, was what Daine thought. The People got her, but sometimes she wanted human friends too.

Everywhere Daine went animals followed her, humans cared for her…so why did she feel so alone? Daine didn't know, but Daine wasn't trying to be logical. She just wanted to feel loved. She was loved, but she didn't _feel_ it.

Lately the girl had been having dreams of her past. Terrible dreams and she always woke in a cold sweat. She didn't scream when she had those dreams because even in her dreams she didn't want to worry Nuamir. He meant that much to her.

_**Wingsister, I've finally found you! Please, all of the other birds say you can heal, and my little one was almost eaten by a cat!**_ A speckled bird shrieked deafeningly. The bird was flying around Daine in a frantic fashion dipping and diving dangerously close to the girl's head.

Daine leaped up-despite her down-and-out attitude she had acquired throughout the day, and followed her distressed friend to a place next to the stables. She greeted the horses as she flew quickly by in the form of an eagle.

When hey reached their destination, Daine found that the bird was dangerously close to death. Quickly she transformed back into her human self with her clothes on (a new trick she'd learned). The wildmage hastily found her pool of copperfire and set to work.

It took a while to heal the little creature. The cat had done so much damage. Daine vaguely wondered if there was a new cat in town that she had not met. All the ones she had met had agreed to keep the peace with the other palace animals, including the birds. It was taking longer than need be because the tiny bird wouldn't sit still, as much pain as it was in, it wouldn't sit still. Daine had never met a creature so close to death that was still so feisty, and it had to be the time when she didn't have the energy to deal with it.

Finally, Daine had completed the task at hand and the bird was successfully healed. She opened her eyes to find that she had sweated a rather large amount onto the bird.

"Sorry" she mumbled by way of apology. The bird chirped its thanks before flying off with a grateful mother that said she would visit Daine later. The wildmage looked around and found Onua looking at her. When she realized that Daine was done healing she came over and sat next to her, much to Daine's dismay. She wanted to go back to her room and sulk.

"Hey, Daine what was wrong with the bird?" Onua asked.

"Cat." Was her short reply. Why did people keep bugging her? Onua didn't really care about the bird did she? No, she only cared for horses, didn't she? Certainly a horsemistress wouldn't take any heed to a bird-so _why_ wasshe asking? Daine got up, tears on her cheeks, and stormed to her room leaving a very confused Onua in her dust.

Numair sat at his desk, engrossed in a book about the theories of elemental magic. His students were writing about something, only Mithros knew all of the things Numair made them write. Even Numair had already forgotten what he had assigned to them just a week ago.

Just as Numair was getting to his favorite part (he'd read this book too many times to count) there was a knock at the door.

"This had better be good." The mage muttered.

Then he told the intruder to come in. All heads turned as the horsemistress walked into the room, a slightly panicked look in her face.

"Resume your work." Numair ordered, knowing they were all nosy boys. Leading Numair outside so the boys didn't hear Onua began to talk.

"Did you and Daine have a fight?" Onua asked, not wanting to pry, but even more wanting to help Daine. Numair gave her an skeptical look before answering "no".

"Wait, why did you ask is there something wrong?" he asked worry in every line of his face and concern thick in his voice.

"Well…" Onua began, but her voice trailed off

"What?!" he practically screamed at her. If Daine was hurt and she was holding back from him, Numair was going to be a very, very angry mage.

"Well she was just acting…not herself." Onua was groping for words. "She was healing a bird and when she got done I came over and asked her what was wrong with the bird. Then she said it was a cat."

"So," prodded Numair. Onua had come to him to tell her that Daine had healed a bird? She had interrupted his class and got him all worked up to tell her that she had _healed a bird_?

"Well after she said it was cat, she burst into tears and ran away…"

"Did you follow her? Where did she go? Is she Okay? Did you ask what was wrong with her?"

"Numair! Stop rambling. I just came to ask you if you knew what was wrong and now you're asking me!"

Numair shut up, looking guilty. It was the he found it was time for class to be over. He dismissed them in frenzy, forgetting to assign them any overnight work. Then he rushed off to find Daine.

Daine sat in her room feeling really, really cruddy. The wildmage sat on her bed and cried. The worst part was, she didn't know why she was crying. Well, she did, but she was feeling so many emotions at once it was hard for her to stay composed. That's why she sat and cried and cried not knowing how long she was just sitting there trying to figure herself out.

She prayed to all of the gods that someone would just come and rescue her. Her prayer was answered when she heard a knock on her door.

Sooooo…..what did you think? Read and review please!!!!!


	2. talks and bets

There was another knock on her door. Daine didn't get up to answer it; instead she buried herself in a blanket and pretended to be asleep. She knew who it was, it was Numair, and he was only going to scold her for being depressed and make her study or do lessons-Daine was sure of it.

"Daine, I know you're in there. Please open the door I want to talk to you."

"What for?" Daine asked forgetting to pretend she was asleep. _Darn it_. She thought inwardly.

"Onua said you were crying. Is something wrong?" He asked worriedly. Daine didn't know how much she meant to Numair. He truly cared for his magelet.

Ever since the first time he had seen her, he knew there was something special about the girl. Granted, he was a half-crazed hawk, and she had saved his life-he would have thought she was special without that situation. Her smile, her friendliness, her wild magic that caused her so much joy- Numair loved her, although he would never tell her that.

"No. Nothing's wrong. Will you leave now?" The wildmage answered, hoping and praying he would just leave her be.

Daine hadn't felt love from anyone but her ma and grandda and animals until she had come with Onua. The second person she had met from Tortall was Numair. He was her teacher her friend, and a person she could usually talk to, but not now. She didn't want to talk to _Numair_. She didn't want to talk to _anyone_. Why wouldn't they just leave her alone?

"Magelet, please. You're worrying me. Please tell me what's wrong. You know I can bust this door open if I wanted." Numair said, knowing he really wouldn't. If she wanted to be alone, he would leave her alone, but couldn't she just at least tell him herself that she was okay?

"Numair, please. I'm fine. Leave me _alone_."Came Daine's muffled voice. She had her face stuffed into a pillow, and she didn't plan on moving anytime soon.

The mage sighed and walked away in defeat. He was hurt that Daine didn't want to talk to him. Maybe he would talk to the Lioness that had come for a visit. Maybe she could talk to Daine. Maybe Daine would want to talk to her.

Alanna was helping Onua with the horses, or rather sitting and talking to her while Onua worked with the horses. Numair came over to them, looking like skysong had bitten him-or Cloud. Either one would work with the pained expression on his face.

"Numair," Onua said, "did you find out what was wrong with Daine?"

"What's wrong with Daine?" Alanna asked, getting slightly worried.

"No. She wouldn't even let me in her room." Admitted the mage with defeat.

Alanna laughed and both the horsemistress and Numair looked at her strangely, not knowing why she was laughing.

"Numair, the black mage of Totall can't get into a girl's room!" Alanna burst into hysterics again, and this time Onua was laughing with her.

"Well let's see you try it!" Numair exclaimed.

Alanna after thinking about it, accepted the challenge and stalked off to get Daine out of her room. After all, it couldn't be that hard.

Numair bet Onua that Alanna could get Daine out, but Onua thought otherwise. When Alanna came stomping back to them in a rage, Onua mouthed to the mage "I win"

"I can not believe that girl!" the Lioness screamed.

"You didn't scream at her did you?" asked Onua, slightly scared for Daine.

"Only when she started being unreasonable!"

"Oh, Mithros." Numair murmured. He was positive that Alanna screaming at her couldn't have helped.

He didn't need to go ask Daine if she was okay, the animals answered for her. They were all clearly sulking -the horses wouldn't cooperate, the dogs howled in dismay, cats meowed in sadness, all of the animals reacted.

Onua, Numair, and Alanna sat on the fence and talked for some time until it was time for dinner, and they all made there way to the dining hall except for Numair. He headed off to find Daine and see if she had changed his mind about talking.

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sooo…what did you think about this one???

Thank you queencocaine and deathequalsoul for reviewing!!!!!


	3. tears and sleep

Thank you Amanda! Your review was nice!!

Thanx to all the readers too!!!

Daine still sat on her bed, refusing to talk to anyone. She refused to communicate with the People who were screaming in her ear, and was not going to talk to a two-legger- unless it was Numair. She had made up her mind that she _might _talk to Numair, but only if he asked nicely.

Daine heard the bell for supper, but refused to move. She didn't feel like eating. She didn't feel like doing anything but crawling in a hole. Daine groaned as she realized that even in a hole she wouldn't find peace. Surely an animal would crawl in the hole and insist that she talk. Maybe, just maybe, if _everyone_ kept suggesting talking she _might _talk, but _if_ she did talk she would only talk to Numair. That is _if _she decided talk. _If._

A knock on her door disturbed her from her thoughts. She let it knock a couple of times just to see if the person was persistent enough. How long would the person keep knocking? Daine tested Numair's limits because she knew only Numair would knock forever. He had to have been knocking on her door for about a minute before Daine grew tired of the continuous noise.

"Who is it?" she called out. Daine was pretty much sure of who it was. When Numair's voice came from behind the door, she got her answer.

"It's me, Numair. Please, come eat." He begged her.

"I don't want to eat." Daine said, surprised that he hadn't asked to come in.

"Well, can you please let me come in? I really want to talk to you. We're all worried about you."

Numair just stood there when he didn't get an answer. He heard some shuffling when Daine slowly made her way to the door. She unlocked it and then she ran back to her bed and covered herself up with blankets. She knew it was childish, but she didn't want to look at him or have him see her.

Numair walked into the room gently he lowered himself onto Dain's beside her.

"What happened to my wildmagelet?" he asked

"Human cruelty happened to me." She stated, her voice was muffled from her place under her blankets.

"Human cruelty to animals?" Numair asked, desperate to help her. He hated to see his student like this.

Numair felt her a shrug under the blankets. It was then that he figured that Daine had no idea what she had just said.

"Okay maybe not human cruelty, maybe it's the cruelty of everything."

"Everything?" he questioned.

Daine threw her blankets from atop herself and started rambling.

"I don't know what kind of cruelty! If I knew I probably wouldn't be so depressed! I don't know _why_ I am I just _am_! Is that good enough for you? Mithros, I swear that Perin kid is a _stalker_, and Cloud's just being mean to me all the time, and there are just _so many_ animals that are hurt and I can't help them and- and…"

Daine threw herself onto Numair and sobbed…and sobbed…and sobbed…

Numair did a speaking spell with Alanna and requested for her to come immediately. He wasn't even sure if Daine had known that Numair had done a speaking spell. Usually people know when magic is done scant inches away from their heads. Alanna came to the girl's room immediately.

Daine felt cold fingers press against her head and purple magic drove her into a deep sleep…

O0o0o0o

Short I know, but did you like???????


	4. dreams and such

"Alanna, I don't know what happened to her. She was rambling about Perin and Cloud and other animals and then she just started crying. She wouldn't stop so I had to call you."

"It's okay, Numair. She'll be fine. I think all of the stress just got to her. She's been through a lot. You can't expect her to deal with it like us. She's younger and her magic is talking her down a different road than most of us went down. I mean it's wilmagic."

"I know what she has, Alanna. When will she wake up?"

"I don't know. If it's due to stress she might be out for a couple of days. If it's other reasons-well, we'll have to find out _what_ is causing her hysterics."

"So maybe just a couple of days?" Numair asked

Alanna was about to answer when she heard a blood-curdling scream come from Daine's room. Numair and Alanna were standing outside of her room so they burst open the door to find a sweat-soaked Daine jerking and twisting in her sheets.

"Ma! Please don't leave me!"

"Daine, Daine wake up!" Shouted Numair.

"Ma! Wake up. Stop playing!"

"Daine!" he shouted again trying to get his magelet to wake up. To Alanna he said, "Do something!"

"No Cloud, you're wrong! She's not dead! She can't be dead!" Daine went on.

Alanna used her magic on Daine and the girl began to settle. Numair was now gripping Alanna's shoulder.

"Ma," Daine murmured "No. Don't go." Then she drifted into a more peaceful sleep than before.

Onua turned the corner to find Alanna and Numair standing over a sleeping Daine.

"What is going on? I was outside just making sure all of the horses were okay, when all of the animals went _crazy_!"

"Hush, Onua we just put her to sleep" Alanna said, "Lets talk about this outside."

Numair didn't budge. He simply pulled up a chair next to his magelet and waited.

O0o0o0o0

When Daine awoke to sunlight beaming into her eyes, she stretched and yawned. Daine looked over to find a sleeping Numair next to her bed. She crept past him and walked out of the door, still in her breeches and shirt. _Why am I in my clothes?_ She asked herself inwardly. Then it all came rushing back to her. _Oh, great._

Daine turned the corner to find Alanna walking with Thayet who had just been coming to check on her.

"Verlidaine, get back into your room _now_! You are _supposed_ to be resting after what happened a day ago! Your not even supposed to be awake!" Alanna said loudly. Thayet giggled -an very un-queenly thing to do- at the use of Daine's full name.

Daine started to protest, but her mouth was shut by the Lioness' hand. She was then steered toward the door. The girl pried the woman's hand off of her mouth before turning to face Thayet and Alanna.

"I'm so sorry for the way I was acting..well before you put me to sleep. I was just really confused and I was angry and…I don't know, I was just confused. I'm sorry about the trouble I caused."

Daine looked into the eyes of the Lioness and the Queen's. Their eyes were full of compassion and understanding. Thayet spoke.

"Daine it's okay. We understand."

"Yes, we do. Now, will you please just go back to sleep. You need the rest."

Daine nodded and walked into her room with Alanna and Thayet in tow.

"Numair, wake up and get out of Daine's room. She'll be fine." Alanna said.

Numair looked around confused. At the sight of Daine he jumped out of his chair.

"Magelet, get in bed, now." He led Daine into her bed and pulled the covers up over her when she got settled.

"Would you like something to eat?"

Daine shook her head, though she was very hungry. She wanted more sleep though, more than food at the time.

"Okay, that's enough. Now let's go and let Daine rest." Said a stern Alanna. She drug Numair from out of the room.

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So…that didn't really go anywhere… oh well… hopefully the next chapter will be better. Review please!!!!!!!


	5. waking up and realizations

It was a middle of the night in Tortall. A tabby cat lay on the edge of Daine's bed. It purred and massaged the girl's leg as it did. Daine, in contrast had a pained look on her face as she started murmering.

"I just wanted to play." Daine mumbled in her sleep.

Numair awoke at the sound of her voice. He had snuck in behind the Lioness' back and seated himself in a chair until he had fallen asleep. Now he looked at Daine. She was shuffling around uncomfortably in her sheets; yet again having a nightmare- this one was at least not as bad.

"Daine," Numair said

""Ma says I'm just as good as any of you."

"Daine," Numair persisted.

"How dare you say that about my ma!" her voice had escalated from shy to angry.

"Daine!" Numair yelled waking the girl out of her sleep. The wildmage of Tortall sat up in bed, angrily brushing tears from her face. Then she turned to look at Numair.

"Was I screaming?" she asked.

The Lioness scrambled into the room looking worried. Her expression soon turned to anger as her eyes landed on the sight of Numair. They flashed with fury. Her famous temper flared. She had told Numair to stay out of Daine's room. All he was doing was hovering, and it wasn't going to help Daine any.

"Didn't I tell you to _stay_ out?" asked the Champion looking rightfully annoyed. "Get out!"

Numair scrambled out of the room, even he was afraid of the Lioness' temper. Alanna sighed as she made her way to Daine's bed. She silently checked Daine's pulse and checked her other vitals before laying her hand on the girl's head to see if she was hot or had a temperature. Daine felt cool enough so Alanna let her hand slide down the girl's head and brush her curls.

"You were having another bad dream I presume?" asked the Lioness.

"I was having a bad dream, but did you say another?" asked the girl looking confused.

"Yes, you had a dream about your mother when you found her dead. You were screaming, and I had to calm you down."

Daine winced as she started remembering that. She grimaced, and looked up at Alanna.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I keep having dreams like that."

"It's probably just the stress. You need to rest, but if it keeps getting disturbed by dreams it won't do any good."

"How are the animals?" asked Daine remembering her friends.

"Well they don't like it too much when you have dreams, but they are fine, just worried about you." Alanna smiled. Only Daine would ask about animals in the middle of the night.

The two talked some more before the Lioness decided that they should both get some rest.

O0o0o0o0o

Daine woke up with the sun, and went to the stables. She greeted all of the animals that she had missed, which was a lot. They all surrounded her from horses to mice. The little bird she had healed sat on her shoulder. She talked to them all smiling and relived to have them back.

O0o0o0

Numair looked at his magelet from a distance, and smiled. The animals love her.

_You love her too._ Put in a little voice in his head.

Numair shoved the thought back, knowing it was true, but made his way down to find Daine. He had a magelet to catch up with.

O0o0o0o

Ok short I know, but did you like it? It's my first finished besides a crumby one-shot. Did you like it? I could use some constructive criticism!!!!!


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